Happy birthday to us… Noah’s Ark turns 17!

On 30th March, Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm turned 17, and what a tremendous 17 years it’s been! We first opened our doors to visitors back in 1999 and on our first ever day of opening we welcomed 115 people to the zoo. By the end of our first year a total of 24,000 visitors had graced our doorstep. Fast-forward 17 years and during 2015, a staggering 200,430 guests came to explore all the wonderful animals and attractions we’ve got to offer!

A lot has changed in those 6,205 days. Not only has our reputation and popularity grown, but so has the site and our capabilities. Originally, Noah’s Ark was a farm centre rather than a zoo, but we developed quickly and have welcomed so many new animals that being called a ‘Farm Centre’ no longer worked – we were a fully-fledged zoo, complete with numerous attractions and more being added every year.

We’ve had our fair share of media attention, too. In 2005 we opened our gates to white rhinos, which garnered a lot of attention, and a year later our first giraffe found a home here. In 2009, the first of our big cats made their way onto the scene and we swiftly became known as a home for big zoo animals. In the following years, more giraffes arrived and then, in 2014, our beautiful elephants came to stay. As the zoo expanded so did our reputation, and we soon began attracting visitors from right across the UK. We’re now pleased to say that we welcome hundreds of international visitors every year – alongside our local fans of course!

And we don’t plan on stopping here; we’re delighted to continue developing and adding value and new exhibits for our loyal visitors. Just last week we opened our latest exhibition, the Andean Adventure, featuring spectacled bear brothers Tupa and Sonco – open now, why not come and see the latest additions to the Noah’s Ark family before it’s time to head back to school?

Now the sun has got his hat on it’s the perfect time to come and explore just how far we’ve come in the last 17 years. Plan the perfect family day out to the zoo to meet the animals, take part in daily shows, events and Keeper Experiences, and play around in our 15 indoor and outdoor playgrounds – we’ve got the perfect play areas, whatever the weather! You can buy tickets online for a 5% discount – simply show 4 digit booking reference on your phone on arrival for quicker entry.

We’re open Monday to Saturday, 10:30am to 5:00pm. Bring along a picnic if the weather holds out, or grab a bite to eat in our quality café. Visit our website for full details and prices. We look forward to seeing you!